Blackford does well to avoid attempts by the BBC to trip him up

Letters

AS a regular listener to the various news programmes of the “English Broadcasting Corporation”, I would like to congratulate Ian Blackford on his calm and courteous conduct during his interview with Sarah Montague on Wednesday’s The World at One.

As with so many presenters on these programmes, her only aim appeared to be to force him to confess that the forthcoming EU elections were being used by the SNP as a referendum on independence.

She could perhaps have mentioned such topics as the fishing industry, the various powers that have been (temporarily, we are assured) resumed by Westminster, the Erasmus awards for students or the future of the E111 insurance scheme for travellers to Europe.

Her only interest appeared to be to try to trip up the nationalist leader at Westminster. She came over to me as both condescending and aggressive while he remained totally polite throughout the performance.

Of course this is not the only example of a presenter or commentator to appear to be obsessed by the question of Scottish independence. Given that the First Minister, in her recent pronouncement on the election, did not even mention the topic, it seems odd that it is continually brought up by the BBC and other parts of UK media.

Can these reporters, presenters and politicians think of nothing else to discuss? Or are they just plain feart?

Brian Patton
Foulden, Berwickshire

WITH all the recent coverage Farage has had in the press and particularly on the BBC channels you could be forgiven for thinking there was a Very British Coup under way. On BBC s Question Time last week Fiona Bruce seemed to be whipping the audience (mainly pro-Brexit/Farage) into some kind of frenzy of excitement and often nastiness. Of course Farage got a greater percentage of the camera and the mic (as usual).

The next night the BBC pulled Have I got News For You ... over fears that if Heidi Allen appeared (on this very funny and very important show) it would breach election impartiality rules (ha ha).

I am always amazed when I hear “Old Tories” in particular criticise the BBC for being a left-wing den of revolutionaries.

It appears that there is a looming danger of the emergence of Farage and the nasty English (largely) nationalist right as a major force, indeed perhaps the major force in English politics from this year.

Graham Noble
Fort William

TONIGHT our capital’s streets are going to be polluted by Nigel Farage and his Brexit non-party as he attempts to hoover up £2.50 per attendee of his non-party launch in Scotland.

We are gathering at the Corn Exchange at 6.30pm to tell him that his new kind of politics is not welcome in Scotland. We will not stand back and appease a second Weimar Republic that allows a populist leader to retake and rearm the Rheinland without pushing back.

Because that’s exactly what’s happening and we will have no buffer against it.

Fascism creeps up slowly but this time it’s arriving in a bright blue bus, and if you do not think appeasement is a policy you support and want to make your voice heard, join us at the Corn Exchange Edinburgh tomorrow and MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD.

Dave Llewellyn
Edinburgh

KENNETH Macrae is entirely correct (Letters, May 16). Unlike Wales and Ireland, Scotland was never conquered by England, and therefore the Scottish Parliament has every legal right to frame a motion calling for the dissolution of the Treaty of Union and the Union of the Crowns, and to pass this motion by a majority vote. To deny this is to deny democracy.

ROLAND Manowski (Letters, May 16) asks why Scottish independence is necessary when we already have a parliament, banknotes, legal and education systems, culture and art. “So what’s missing?” he asks. I should like to reply: control over our economy and resources, the right to nationalise industry, the right to abolish monarchy, the abolition of nuclear weapons, the right of neutrality in war, a seat in the United Nations, the right to rejoin the EU.

I could go on, but I’ll leave it there.

Mr Manowski’s native Poland has such rights as an independent nation, so I am surprised at his comments.

Jeff Fallow
Windygates, Fife

JUST got my Tory leaflet through the door. Ruth’s name is mentioned twice. Nicola’s is mentioned 13 times. I thought stalking was outlawed. But who cares! Thanks Ruth for the extra publicity ... that came out of Tory coffers!

Robin Maclean
Fort Augustus

IT’S bad enough having to read regurgitations of the original Sunday National story about yet another SNP “war” concerning Joanna Cherry in The Scotsman without having Kathleen Nutt turn into Grounhog Day in The National. Give it a rest and move on.

Douglas Turner
Edinburgh

IN your article about postal voting in today’s edition you state that there are no post boxes in Scotland with the EiiR cypher (Got a postal vote? Be prepared to go to England to send it off, May 16). There is at least one: Royal Mail installed one in the village square in Tarland, Aberdeenshire, a few years ago. I complained at the time and they said they would investigate, but nothing has been done and my requests for updates have all been ignored. Perhaps if The National were to investigate...

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